TEHRAN — Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri has traveled to South Korea to attend the 48th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, where Tehran is seeking the inscription of the Alamut Castle and Associated Fortifications on the World Heritage List.
The UNESCO meeting is being held in Busan from July 19 to 29, 2026. If approved, the Alamut nomination would become Iran’s 30th World Heritage property.
Salehi-Amiri said his meetings in South Korea included discussions on expanding cooperation between Tehran and Seoul in the fields of culture, tourism, handicrafts and creative industries.
Following talks with South Korea’s minister of culture, sports and tourism and a visit to a historic Korean temple, Salehi-Amiri said the two sides discussed potential cooperation, including reciprocal exhibitions focused on tourism and handicrafts, as well as exchanges involving artists, cultural figures and content creators.
He highlighted South Korea’s experience in creative industries, cinema, television series, animation, music and tourism, saying these fields could provide opportunities for joint projects and exchanges between the two countries.
Salehi-Amiri described Iran and South Korea as two ancient Asian civilizations with rich cultural traditions, saying their shared heritage could serve as a foundation for stronger cultural ties.
Regarding Iran’s UNESCO bid, Salehi-Amiri said the country submits one nomination each year for consideration by the World Heritage Committee and expressed hope that the Alamut nomination would be approved during the current session.
He praised the efforts of experts from Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, and officials in Qazvin Province, describing Alamut as one of Iran’s significant historical sites because of its architecture, defensive structures and cultural importance.
The minister said World Heritage recognition involves a shared responsibility among governments, UNESCO and the international community, adding that inscription can help strengthen preservation efforts, increase global awareness and support cultural tourism.
Salehi-Amiri said the South Korean minister welcomed Iran’s 

proposals and, according to the Iranian official, accepted an invitation to visit Tehran. He added that Iran’s ambassador in Seoul would follow up on implementing the understandings reached during the discussions.
The Iranian minister also emphasized the role of cultural exchanges in strengthening relations between nations, saying ties among peoples form an important foundation for broader international cooperation.